Jack Archer eBook

On arriving at Portsmouth, Major Archer took up his
quarters at the famous George Inn, and, leaving their
luggage there, was soon on his way down to the Hard.
Half a century had gone by since Portsmouth had exhibited
such a scene of life and bustle. Large numbers
of extra hands had been taken on at the dockyards,
and the fitters and riggers labored night and day,
hastening on the vessels just put into commission.
The bakeries were at work turning out biscuits as fast
as they could be made, and the stores were crammed
to repletion with commissariat and other stores.
In addition to the ships of war, several large merchant
steamers, taken up as transports, lay alongside the
wharves, and an unusual force of military were concentrated
in the town, ready for departure. By the Hard
were a number of boats from the various men-of-war
lying in the harbor or off Spithead, whose officers
were ashore upon various duties. Huge dockyard
barges, piled with casks and stores, were being towed
alongside the ships of war, and the bustle and life
of the scene were delightful indeed to Jack, accustomed
only to the quiet sleepiness of a cathedral town like
Canterbury. Inquiring which was the “Falcon,”
a paddle steamer moored in the stream was pointed
out to them by a boatman.

“Oh dear,” Jack said, “she looks
small in comparison with those big men-of-war.”

“She is none the worse, Jack, for that,”
his father said. “If there should be fighting,
it will scarcely be at sea. The Russian fleet
will not venture to engage the fleets of England and
France united, and you are likely to see much more
active work in a vessel like the ‘Falcon’
than in one of those floating castles. Hullo,
Charles, is that you?” he broke off, lying his
hand upon the shoulder of a naval officer, who was
pushing his way though the crowd of boatmen and sailors
to a man-of-war gig, which, with many others, was
lying by the Hard.

“Hullo, uncle, is that you?” he replied.
“I am glad to see you. I was expecting
you here in a day or so. I thought you would run
down with the youngster. Well, Jack, how are
you? Why, it must be eight years since I saw
you. You were quite a little chap then. Well,
are you thinking of thrashing the Russians?”

“The boy is half out of his mind with pleasure,
Charles,” Major Archer said, “and he and
all of us are greatly obliged to you for your kindness
in getting him his berth. I think you will find
him active and intelligent, though I fear he has not
shone greatly at school, especially,” he said
smiling, “in his Latin verses.”

“He will make none the worse sailor for that,”
Charles Hethcote said with a laugh. “But
I must be going on board. I have a message from
the admiral to the captain and every moment is precious,
for things are terribly behindhand. The dockyard
people are wellnigh out of their wits with the pressure
put upon them, and we are ordered to be ready to sail
in a week. How it’s all to be done, goodness
only knows. You need not come on board, Jack.
I will tell the captain that you have arrived, and
he would not thank me for bringing any live lumber
on board just at present. You had better get
him his outfit, uncle, at once, and then he can report
himself in full trim to-morrow.”